Office of Highway Safety announces Labor Day weekend DUI checkpoints

Delaware News Desk

Tuesday

Aug 27, 2019 at 5:30 PM

The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is partnering with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and local law enforcement agencies for the high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, which started Aug. 14 and will run through the Labor Day holiday, Sept. 2.

During Labor Day Weekend, Delaware State Police, local and county police departments will be coordinating DUI checkpoints in all three counties from 10 p.m. Aug. 31 to 2 a.m. Sept. 1 on US-40 in Newark, US 13 in Camden and DE-24 in Millsboro.

There are four confirmed DUI fatalities so far this year, though this number is not final, as there are crashes still under investigation for impairment. There have been more than 600 DUI-related crashes and more than 300 DUI-related injuries.

In July, Checkpoint StrikeForce saw more than 2,500 vehicles come through its activation. The statewide DUI checkpoints resulted in seven DUI arrests, 15 drug-related arrests and 125 other arrests including eight wanted-person apprehensions.

In addition to high-visibility enforcement, high-visibility engagement messaging throughout the state and the Labor Day Weekend Checkpoint StrikeForce, OHS is promoting its Highway Safety Signs — Constellations on the Consequences of Impaired Driving campaign.

"The Highway Safety Signs micro-site was developed to encourage viewers to visit the ArriveAliveDE hub to learn more about the consequences of driving impaired through the use of interactive star constellations,” said Cynthia Cavett, marketing specialist and public information officer, OHS. “Each constellation essentially represents a 'call to action' encouraging people to click on each one to learn more about the consequences of every impairment-related decision."